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Survey Details for CRMRTGL006 - 2026-06-06

CRMRTGL006

Geological Landscape

Marros Sands

Carmarthenshire

2008-12-30

  • Level 1: Coastal
  • Level 2: Depositional coastline
  • Level 3: Other

Monitoring

Q1 - Date of monitoring?

  • No Answer

Q1a - Monitoring undertaken by

  • No Answer

Q1b - Has this record been updated following monitoring work?

  • No Answer

Q1c - Change indicated by

  • No Answer

Q1d - What has changed?

  • No Answer

Q1e - Has the information ever been verified in the field?

  • No

Q2 - Does this area have a special or functional link with an adjacent area?

  • No

Description

Q3 - If Classification is "Other", specify here

  • Soft sediment foreshore

Q4 - What is the geographical and topographical character of this area?

  • Area of sand dominated foreshore fronting cliff and coastal slopes of Upper Carboniferous sandstones and shales. The latter also outcrop locally in the beach as areas of wave cut platform. Shingle/ boulder beach or concentration often developed at the back of the sand beach, especially in the Ragwen Point area (Quaternary: Holocene).

Q4a - Where bedrock dominated, what is the dominant bedrock type?

  • No Answer

Q4b - Where bedrock dominated, what is the age that characterises the aspect area?

  • No Answer

Q4c - Where bedrock dominated, what is the major rock lithogy (-ies)?

  • No Answer

Q4d - Where drift dominated, what is the dominant drift deposit?

  • Coastal

Q4e - Where drift dominated, what is the major sediment that characterises the area?

  • Sand and gravel

Q5 - What is the characteristic Level 3 component of the area?

  • Other
    • Soft sediment foreshore

Q6 - Which of the following is a significant contributor to the geological character of the area?

  • Stratigraphic formation(s)
    • Pembroke Limestone Group ('Carboniferous Limestone'): probably including the Dowlais Limestone Formation (=Cil-yr-ychan Limestones) [CARBONIFEROUS, MISSISIPIAN: HOLKERIAN] (='Main Limestone, part'). Marros Group (=Tenby Group / 'Millstone Grit') [CARBONIFEROUS, MISSISSIPPIAN ('NAMURIAN', ARNSBERGIAN) -PENNSYLVANIAN (WESTPHALIAN, LANGSETTIAN] (including Twrch Sandstone Formation (=Basal Grit Formation) [MISSISSIPPIAN, 'NAMURIAN' (ARNSBERGIAN) - PENSYLVANIAN, NAMURIAN (MARSDENIAN)], Bishopston Mudstone Formation (=Middle Shales Formation) [PENNSYLVANIAN, NAMURIAN' (MARSDENIAN)-WESTPHALIAN (LANGSETTIAN)], Telpyn Point Sandstone Formation (=Upper Sandstone Formation) [PENNSYLVANIAN, NAMURIAN (YEADONIAN) - WESTPHALIAN (LANGSETTIAN)].
  • Superficial deposits
    • Coastal deposits (including sand, mud, gravel and boluder) [QUATERNARY: HOLOCENE]
  • Active processes
    • Coastal

Q7 - What additional subsidiary Level 3 components are notable?

  • No Answer

Q8 - What Level 4 components are notable in this area?

  • Wave-cut platform
  • Sand / shingle foreshore
  • Sand beach
  • Beach

Q9 - What active geological and geomorphological processes are significant in this area?

  • Coastal
  • Empty value

Q10 - Are there components of significant hydrological importance?

  • Yes
    • the sea

Q11 - Are there any pedological processes that are significant in the area or have had a landscape forming effect?

  • No

Q12 - Is there current mineral extraction?

  • No

Q13 - Has there been mineral extraction in the past?

  • Not known

Q14 - Are there SSSI/GCR sites here?

  • Yes
    • Marros GCR site, part (SN191074) [Carboniferous, Namurian of England and Wales], Marros Sands GCR site (SN219071) [Pleistocene/ Quaternary of Wales] [Arfordir Marris - Pentyon (Marris - Pendine Coast) SSSI]

Q15 - Are there geological SINC, 2nd tier, or RIGS sites in the area?

  • No

Condition

Q16 - Value

  • Outstanding
    • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Q17 - Condition

  • Good
    • Mainly natural undefended coastline with limited coastal defence, etc.

Q18 - Trend

  • Constant
    • Mainly natural undefended coastline with limited coastal defence, etc.

Recommendations

Q19 - Existing management

  • Generally Appropriate

Q20 - Existing management remarks:

  • Mainly natural undefended coastline with limited coastal defence, etc.

Q21 - Principal management recommendations

  • Ensure that no features or natural systems of geological or geomorphological significance in the area are lost or damaged (e.g. due to development or forestry) and that SSSI features are maintained in favourable condition by implementation of management plans.

Q22 - Guideline

  • Long Term
    • Ensure that no features or natural systems of geological or geomorphological significance in the area are lost or damaged (e.g. due to development or forestry) and that SSSI features are maintained in favourable condition by implementation of management plans.

Tolerance To Change

Q23 - Are there any significant threats to the current integrity and condition of the Earth Heritage features of the area?

  • Not known

Aspect Area Boundary

Q24 - To what level was this information site-surveyed?

  • Level 3

Q25 - At 1:10,000, how much of the Aspect Area boundary is precise?

  • Most
    • Aspect Area boundaries surveyed at 1:10,000 using aerial photographs, mapped at 1:25,000.

Q26 - What baseline information source was used for Aspect Area boundary mapping?

  • Other
    • 1:50,000 British Geological Survey maps, 1:10,000 aerial photographs (as stereo pairs), OS 1:25,000 Landranger topographical maps.

Q27 - If OS Data was used, what was the scale?

  • 1:25,000

Q28 - What is the justification for the Aspect Area boundaries?

  • MLW and MHW.

Evaluation

Q29 - Evaluation Criteria: Research Value

  • Outstanding
    • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Q29a - Evaluation Criteria: Educational Value

  • Outstanding
    • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Q30 - Evaluation Criteria: Historical Value

  • Outstanding
    • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Q31 - Evaluation Criteria: Rarity / Uniqueness

  • Outstanding
    • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Q32 - Evaluation Criteria: Classic Example

  • Outstanding
    • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Q33 - Evaluation Criteria: Overall Evaluation

  • Outstanding
    • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Q34 - Justification of overall evaluation

  • Includes GCR / SSSI features of national / international importance.

Bibliography

Q35 - Sources and additional assessments

  • CAMPBELL, S. and BOWEN, D.Q. 1989, Geological Conservation Review: Quaternary of Wales, NCC; CLEAL, C.J. and THOMAS, B.A. 1996, Geological Conservation Review Series 11, Chapman and Hall; ORDNANCE SURVEY 2005a., Explorer Map 177 (1:25, 000); INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES 1967, Sheet 229, 1:50,000 Geological Series; INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES 1976, Wales Sheet 228 (Drift), 1:50,000 Geological Series; STRAHAN, A. et al. 1909, Memoirs of the Geological Survey (England and Wales), HMSO. STRAHAN, A. et al. 1914, Memoirs of the Geological Survey (England and Wales), HMSO

Assessment

Q36 - Additional Assessments

  • None

Q37 - Additional Comments

  • Empty value